Sony Formally Releases 4K Ultra HD TV Pricing

San Francisco – Sony formally unveiled, here on Thursday, pricing and availability for many of its Bravia 4K Ultra HD TV ecosystem products, which were first presented at International CES in January.

Among the line highlights were some new solutions for viewing native 4K Ultra HD content, including a new 4K Media Player and new streaming 4K content options.

The new 4K Ultra HD TV lineup was optimized to support 4K content from Video Unlimited 4K, Netflix and others, Sony said.

“We continue to be the only company that offers a complete lineup of consumer 4K products, including TVs, front projectors, cameras and camcorders, while also leading the industry in providing 4K content. Sony’s new 4K Ultra HD TVs, 4K Media Player and new 4K content offerings continue to strengthen our growing ecosystem,” said Mike Fasulo, president at Sony Electronics. “We strongly believe 4K is the future for entertainment and we remain committed to leading the 4K movement, from lens to living room, in a way that only a company like Sony can.”

Sony is offering nine new 4K Ultra HDTV models across three series in 2014. Many are available for pre-sale now and are slated to hit stores in June.

This year’s 4K Ultra HD models employ a range of new and improved features for picture and sound-quality enhancement, including (in select models) the 4K X Reality Pro picture engine that can up-scale a variety of content, regardless of source, to 4K resolution. Select step-up Ultra HD models also include Sony’s Triluminos Display wide color spectrum for more lifelike color reproduction, and a heightened sense of depth and accurate shading to ensure the highest quality picture.

In addition, each new 4K Ultra HD TV incorporates Sony’s ClearAudio+ digital signal processing for improved high-quality audio. ClearAudio+ combines a variety of Sony technologies to create an immersive experience with clear vocals and a wide range of sound.

An optional wireless subwoofer (model SWF-BR100) is available to create a richer audio experience, delivering powerful bass from the TV for a simple and stylish home-theater experience.

Gamers can bring the immersive world of PlayStation directly to the TV with PlayStation Now. Users can discover and play PlayStation 3 games, all streamed directly to the TV and played by connecting a Dualshock 3 controller to the TV.

The top of the line XBR-X950B full-array backlit LED LCD TV series includes the 65-inch ($7,999 suggested retail) and 85-inch ($24,999) screen sizes.

This model class includes X-tended Dynamic Range Pro technology — driven by direct LED arrays that are arranged in the backside of the panel — to achieve a much wider dynamic range of brightness, with improved peak whites and deeper blacks, using a new backlighting algorithm.

These models feature X-tended Dynamic Range technology driven by LED edge lighting, and a new Wedge form factor design that increases capacity to incorporate larger speakers, while maintaining a slim profile.

Sony pointed out that all new Ultra HD models support HDMI 2.0 standard, giving them the ability to display 4K/60p content, and incorporate a decoder to support the latest HEVC codec decoding and can playback 4K/60p content and Internet streaming services.

The TVs are also compatible with MHL 3.0 which supports 4K output from smartphones and tablets.

Sony is also offering a new 4K Ultra HD Media Player (FMP-X10) with the ability to download, stream and store the native 4K content. Sony will make available hundreds of native 4K Ultra HD titles for download to the player from Video Unlimited 4K, which now features more than 200 4K titles for the home, Sony said. The new device will also be able to stream 4K content from Netflix. The Media Player offers 1TB of built-in storage and also supports Triluminous Color for rich and deep colors.

The Media Player, which will be available this summer, is compatible with Sony 4K Ultra HD TVs and will be available for purchase this summer.

Meanwhile, Sony said it is collaborating with FIFA on a range of 4K initiatives at the 2014 FIFA World Cup including producing three full matches in 4K. Sony and FIFA will jointly produce the Official 2014 FIIFA World Cup Film in 4K, which will include a selection of games, including the final match. U.S. viewers will be able to enjoy the 4K/60p promotional trailers for the Official 4K Film on Sony’s 4K Ultra HD TVs at Sony stores and retailers nationwide.

Sony said its new TVs also have access to PlayMemories Online and 500px. Photos uploaded to PlayMemories from a smart phone, tablet, and PC are automatically organized so that you will be able to access them easily and enjoy them in clear and beautiful 4K quality.

Sony’s is also enhancing the new 4K Ultra HD TV user experience with One-Flick Entertainment, a new way to view content. One-Flick Entertainment offers a new style of viewing that allows quickly selecting content, including TV shows, movies, network content and personal photos.

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